Sermons on Defying Odds:

Let Mercy Prevail

Contributed by Rev. Samuel Arimoro on Apr 15, 2025

Mercy is the voice of God that speaks when every other voice has gone silent. It breaks protocols, defies logic, and releases divine help to those who need it most—even when they don’t deserve it.

LET MERCY PREVAIL By Rev. Samuel Arimoro Main Text: John 5:1–9 Supporting Texts: Matthew 9:36; Luke 7:11–15; Mark 1:40–42; Romans 9:15–16; Hebrews 4:16 INTRODUCTION: There are moments in life when our efforts, prayers, and even faith seem insufficient. At such times, what sustains and lifts us ...read more

Scripture: John 5:1-9

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Kingdom Way – Grace Over Fairness. Matthew 20 Series

Contributed by William Akehurst on Aug 9, 2025

MATTHEW 20: GRACE, GREATNESS and THE GOD WHO SEES. GOD’s kingdom operates on grace, not human merit. GOD’s grace defies human fairness, greatness is measured by servanthood, and spiritual sight is found in recognizing JESUS.

2025.08.10. Sermon Notes. THE KINGDOM WAY – GRACE OVER FAIRNESS. Matthew 20. GRACE, GREATNESS and THE GOD WHO SEES. William Akehurst, HSWC SCRIPTURES: Matthew 20:1-34, Romans 9:15-16, Ephesians 2:8-9, 2 Peter 1:10-11, Revelation 22:17, Matthew 7:21-23, John 15:16, James 4:6, Ephesians 4:1 BIG ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-34, Romans 9:15-16, Ephesians 2:8-9, 2 Peter 1:10-11, Revelation 22:17, Matthew 7:21-23, John 15:16, James 4:6, Ephesians 4:1  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Submission On Palm Sunday

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Mar 26, 2013

The period before Jesus's Triumphal Entry in Luke 19 describe three pictures of submission: The submission of Jesus to go to the cross; of the disciples with an odd instruction by Jesus; and of the colt that carried Jesus into Jerusalem.

Submission on Palm Sunday Chuck Sligh March 24, 2013 TEXT: Please turn in your Bibles to Luke 19 INTRODUCTION Today—one week before Easter Sunday—is what is known as Palm Sunday. It’s so called because of the palm branches used in Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:28-38

Denomination: Baptist

Palm Sunday 2023

Contributed by Rodney V Johnson on Mar 31, 2023

How do we know with certainty that Jesus is the One and Only Son of God? This message examines the "odds" and/or probability based on the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.

Palm Sunday 2023 Scripture: Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:26-27; Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1-2 Today we celebrate Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday is always the Sunday before Easter and commemorates Jesus arriving into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. As He made His entrance into the city, some people laid down ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 7:14, Luke 1:26-27, Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1-2

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Benaiah!

Contributed by Bala Samson on Jun 2, 2015

I like the way Benaiah kills a lion in a pit on a snowy day! That is going to be our focus of study today, he went against all odds and slew the lion despite the snow!

Benaiah! 1 Chronicles 11:22”……Benaiah also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen.” People who are God-driven are not ‘ lazy couch potatoes’ but are gutsy people who would go out of their comfort and convenient zones to achieve ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 11:1-23

Denomination: Pentecostal

Apostasy Of The Christian Heart

Contributed by Stan Lobin on Oct 26, 2022

An examination of the Jesus parable of the prayers of the Pharisee and the tax collector and Christians who respond look and react to our others harshly with gossip and other negative that defy God's commandment to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

Apostasy of the Christian Heart When we become Christians, the Bible tells us that we receive Christ into our hearts. I believe that means that a Christian should possess a Christ-like heart; a heart that desires to please God and a desire to be obedient to God’s commandments and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:16-18, Luke 18:9-14, Jeremiah 14:7, 1 John 4:20

Unlocking The Mystery Of Honor (Inspired By A Blog From Rabbi Curt Landry)

Contributed by Mike Fogerson on May 20, 2015

Honor can be mystery, shrouded in questions, defying a definite definition . . .HOW DO YOU DEFINE “HONOR”? 1 Tonight, honor will mean that you have a good name, outward respect of others, and that you walk in integrity.

Unlocking the Mystery of Honor (Inspired by a Blog from Rabbi Curt Landry) 4.29.2015 CFBC, Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker Introduction: A Honor can be mystery, shrouded in questions, defying a definite definition . . .HOW DO YOU DEFINE “HONOR”? 1 Tonight, honor will ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:12

Denomination: Baptist

Why Did You Go, Why Did You Die?

Contributed by Eric Darr on Apr 11, 2005

It is curiously odd that people who are filled with horrified indignation whenever a cat kills a sparrow can hear the story of the killing of God told Sunday after Sunday and not experience any shock at all.

“Why did you go, Why did you die?” • Prayer The mother of a nine-year-old boy named Mark received a phone call in the middle of the afternoon. It was the teacher from her son’s school. "Mrs. Smith, something unusual happened today in your son’s third grade class. Your son did something that ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:1-32

Denomination: Pentecostal

Christmas: Nothing's Impossible With God!

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Dec 16, 2006

Elizabeth was pregnant against all ’odds’. Mary was to become pregnant even though she was a virgin! What seems ’impossible’ in your life right now? What is God saying to your situation?

“Nothing is impossible with God” (1:37). What is going on in your life right now which seems impossible to solve? What has happened, or what is happening at the moment which you think might be beyond or outside of God’s care and control? Is it one of these: Is it your children; a family member; a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38

Denomination: Anglican

A Closer Look Series

Contributed by Bob Soulliere on Nov 27, 2004

The birth of John the Baptist puts a different spin on the birth of Jesus. We get to see the birth and life of Jesus through the eyes of relatives who were going through the same odd happenings

Falling in love with Jesus Luke 1:68-80 A closer look Based on the book with the same name by Rubel Shelly Part II-B ILL: History tells us that early in the nineteenth century the whole world was watching with bated breath the campaigns of Napoleon. There was talk everywhere of marches, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:68-80

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Not Everything Is As It Seems

Contributed by Aaron Holbrough on Jul 13, 2011

Jesus meets a sick man, and Jesus question to him seems odd - "do you want to get better?" But sometimes what we want and what we need are two different things.

Not everything is as it Seems. John 5:1-15 Jesus is heading up to Jerusalem for a Feast of the Jews (doesn’t say which one) On his way he passed by pool that in Aramaic is called Bethesda archeology has uncovered these pools and they had colonnades or covered parts and the invalid and ...read more

Scripture: John 5:1-15

Denomination: Mennonite

Loyal Friends Series

Contributed by Brady Boyd on Nov 4, 2021

This book seems like an odd fit. There are no epic miracles or battles. It’s a love story for sure, but I think it’s also a book about loyalty and God’s redemption.

Ruth Chapter One – Loyal Friends November 7, 2021 This book seems like an odd fit. There are no epic miracles or battles. It’s a love story for sure, but I think it’s also a book about loyalty and God’s redemption. We open the story with a moving conversation between an elderly widow and her ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 1:13-18, Psalm 68:5-6

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jacob Wrestles With God, A Salvation Story. Series

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Jun 6, 2024

Jacob had been at odds with pretty much everyone his entire life, He wrestles with God and surrenders. There is a new beginning. Why do we wrestle with God and not just surrender to him?

Read Genesis 32:22-32 Who here likes a bit of alone time, the family have gone off on a trip and here’s an opportunity, there’s that novel that you would like to finish reading, that project that you’ve been wanting to finish or in my case get started, the hobby that it would be good to lose ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:22-32, Ephesians 2:4-6, Genesis 32:1-32, Jeremiah 29:11-14

Denomination: Salvation Army

Gideon: The Thresher Gone Thrasher Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Apr 26, 2021

Today’s sermon is about a cowardly hero forced into hiding by organized crime, an angel that is more than an angel, strange fleece ware, a bad dream, being outnumbered 450 to one, and smashed pottery. This is how it happened.

Gideon: The Thresher Gone Thrasher (Judges 6:1-7:25) 1. My sister didn’t do as well on her driver’s-ed test as she’d hoped. It might have had something to do with how she completed this sentence: “When the ______ is dead, the car won’t start.” She wrote: “Driver.” Nathan Hellman, Brooklyn, ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Valley Of Shadows Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Mar 10, 2019

In a world that is dominated by those who defy, avoid and simply fear death, David simply says "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil." Why was it that David could be so confident?

OPEN: “Life is short, and death is sure. Sin the cause. Christ the cure.” Vladimir Lenin - the first communist dictator of Russia - died in 1924. Shortly after his death, authorities decided to maintain his body in a mausoleum. So, for the past 95 years Lenin’s body has been on display in ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-4, Hebrews 2:14, Hebrews 13:5, Genesis 39:1-23

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ